


The Harvest of Avarice

by Emmamama88



Category: Twilight (Movies), Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-07
Updated: 2012-06-07
Packaged: 2017-11-07 03:41:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/426555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emmamama88/pseuds/Emmamama88
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Meet Edward Masen, one member of America's 'Greatest Generation'. "...just as fire tempers iron into fine steel so does adversity temper one's character into firmness, tolerance and determination…."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer- Stephenie still owns the usual suspects.  
> I own my original characters and original story. 
> 
> Thanks to pixiekat7 for her fabulous beta work on this! She is awesome and I adore her!
> 
> Anyone who is a fan of Virgins & Villains will recognize this story title. The story itself is based on the movie that 'Actor' Edward is filming while dating Bella in V&V. I hope you enjoy it!

 

1944

When I opened my eyes, the beams of bright sunlight forced me to shut them again.

"Ah, there he is." a quiet voice sounded from beside me.

I blinked open my eyes a second time, turning my head in the direction of the voice and tried to focus. I was surprised to behold an elderly gentleman sitting on the grass smoking a pipe, as if we weren't in the middle of a war zone.

War zone?

I sat up quickly and looked around in a panic. Where the hell were the sights and sounds of battle? Hadn't it been just a moment ago that Johnny and I were holed up in a building, fighting Kraut soldiers? The noise around us then had been deafening.

Now, save for the chirping of birds and the soft sounds of the stranger beside me puffing on his pipe, there was dead silence.

A quick survey of my surroundings held no hint of a town, on the contrary, I could see nothing but green fields, several scattered groupings of trees and, aside from the old man watching me patiently, not another living soul.

"Confused?" He asked.

I frowned and peered at him with wary eyes. He wore a brown suit and hat, the style was a little dated, but they looked to be his Sunday best. And despite the fact that we were in the middle of France, I could tell by his accent that he was American.

"You're American? But how…?"

He smiled. "Where do you think we are Edward?"

"Uh.." I looked at him suspiciously then. "How do you know my name?"

"I came here to find you."

"I don't understand," I answered honestly as I stood and brushed the dust from my pants. I was shocked to find that I was wearing my dress uniform.

When the hell did I change clothes?

"That's quite alright Edward, it's not necessary that you understand everything." The old man said as he also rose to his feet. "Let's take a walk son."

I looked at him again. "I'm sorry; I'm at a loss here. You know my name, but I don't know yours."

"You can call me Teddy," he said with a wink before turning onto a worn path leading toward a cluster of trees. I walked beside him, still confused.

Maybe I hit my head and blacked out. I don't remember anything that happened after we entered that building…..

I hope Johnny's okay.

"Where are we going? Can you take me back to my unit?"

He smiled again and continued to puff at his pipe as we walked. "Don't worry; I know exactly where you need to be."

I nodded. I really had no choice other than to trust him.

"Now, since it's quite a long walk, why don't you tell me a little about yourself Edward?"

I frowned. "You don't already know? I mean, you know my name, I assumed…"

"Oh I know a bit, but I'd rather hear it from you."

"What do you want to know?"

Teddy looked up at me again and smiled. "Everything."

My eyes opened wide in surprise, but for some reason I found myself wanting to tell him my story, such as it was.

Out of habit I patted down my pockets in search of my smokes, well aware that they were gone; the last one smoked days ago in an effort to calm my nerves after we lost Mike and Sam. I wasn't a bit surprised when I reached into my breast pocket and found an almost full pack.

This has been one hell of a strange day.

I didn't pause to wonder how or why there was also a packet of matches in my trouser pocket, I was just thankful that they were there.

After taking a long drag I began, "I was born in Saint Louis in nineteen hundred and twenty-two. Papa was always working so therefore I was closer to my mother." Before I'd even finished the cigarette, I was spilling information that I'd never told another soul, save one.

"I guess it was for that reason that I was always trying to get his attention in any way that I could."

"So you were a rambunctious child?"

I smiled wryly, "I suppose you could say that."

**Flashback ** Edward/7years **

"Edward!" my mother called. I ignored her. She had an annoying habit of interrupting me at the worst times.

I had just connected the last piece of track of my new train set and was gazing at it in satisfaction, knowing my friends would be envious, when she suddenly appeared at my door.

"Edward," I could tell by the tone of her voice that I was in for a scolding. No matter, I was never in trouble for long.

"Yes Mama," I answered politely, not wanting to press my luck.

"Hilda has complained that you and your friends knocked a clothesline full of clean laundry into the dirt."

Not a day went by that Hilda, our housekeeper, wasn't tattling to my mother about one thing or another. I shrugged. "It was in our way Mama. The fellows and I were having a battle. We were trying to capture the Kaiser."

"Son, couldn't you have gone around the clothesline?"

She couldn't be serious

I scowled. "Why would we do that? It was in our way." I explained a little more forcefully. "Tell Hilda to rewash the laundry." I said with a shrug.

Mama sighed and sat down on my bed before turning me to face her. "My dear," she said in a soft voice, "I am afraid I have failed you."

"What do you mean Mama?"

She was speaking nonsense.

We lived in the grandest house on our street, with more servants than anyone we knew. My sister and I had everything we could ever wish for, Papa made sure of that.

As far as I could tell, there was nothing lacking in our lives.

"Oh Edward," She sighed. "If you can callously treat another human being in that manner without a second thought, then I have failed you miserably."

She still made no sense.

"My dear, Hilda worked most of the morning washing those clothes. She isn't a young woman any more, we should be looking to lighten her burden, not add to it."

I wanted to roll my eyes although I didn't out of respect for my mother. I loved her, but she was exactly as Papa had always told me, too kind for her own good. Didn't we pay our servants well? Why would she be concerned about Hilda having to rewash a few pieces of laundry?

I remembered Papa telling me that women could afford to be weak and think with their hearts; men could not.

Papa was a man well respected, perhaps even feared, by the people of the town. He was successful and powerful, and I knew in my heart that I would grow up to be just like him.

It was my greatest wish.

At that moment however, I knew I needed to appease my mother. "What would you like me to do Mama?"

"Dearest, I would like you to apologize to Hilda," she began, never taking her eyes from mine, "and I think it only fair that you help her hang the newly washed laundry."

I was unable to keep the exasperated sigh from escaping my lips. My mother frowned.

I closed my eyes and nodded then. "Yes, Mama."

Mama smiled, and it made my heart lighter to see it. "That's my boy," she whispered before leaving a kiss on my forehead.

Later that day, as I helped Hilda hang the freshly laundered clothes, I heard my father's voice. "Edward! Come away from there this instant!"

I looked about in confusion, but immediately dropped the wet clothing into the basket and walked over to the steps where he stood. My mother appeared not a moment later, and Papa turned to her. "Margaret, what in blazes is our son doing hanging laundry?"

Mother explained to him what I'd done and how she'd decided I should make amends for my behavior. Papa cut her off before she finished. "Do you mean to tell me that you had our son not only apologize to the help, but do chores we pay other people to do?" Papa was enraged.

Mama looked upset. "Dear, I feel the child's character may be lacking and that it is our fault…"

"Are you saying that I haven't done right by my child? My children? Or by you for that matter?"

Mama was shaking her head furiously, trying to diffuse Papa's anger.

"Because it appears to me Margaret, the mere fact that you have servants to take care of this daily drudgery is proof enough that I have done right by my family."

"No dear, you misunderstand…."

"No Margaret, it is you who misunderstands. Let me make this perfectly clear." Papa lowered his voice, "No son of Edward Masen is to be hanging laundry. As a matter of fact, under no circumstances will either of my children perform household chores that we pay others good money to do." He stopped speaking and took a couple of deep breaths, seeming to calm as he did. "Now, if you are unable to abide by my wishes, perhaps I need to relieve you of the duty of managing this household."

"That won't be necessary," Mama replied in a small voice.

"Very well," Papa said with a nod before striding forcefully back inside the house.

I looked up at Mama's face and saw her eyes brimming with tears. I didn't like the fact that Papa raised his voice to her. I silently wrapped my arms around her waist in an effort to comfort her.

***HofA***

Our family was prospering, and Papa made sure that everyone around us knew.

"You sure are lucky Edward," my friend Johnny exclaimed as I showed him and Roger our new car.

"Papa says luck has nothing to do with it," I told him. "My Papa's a good businessman, that's all."

"I heard my Pop talking about yours, he said that your father was ruthless, whatever that means." Roger said.

I shrugged. "Must be something good."

"Do you think he'll take us for a ride?" Johnny asked then.

"Um, probably not. He doesn't want to get it dirty." I didn't tell them that I hadn't even ridden in it yet.

***** end flashback ****

Teddy studied my face. "Did you love your father Edward?"

Again, I was surprised that he would ask such a personal question, and even more surprised that I had no qualms answering him. "He was a hard man to love."

Teddy nodded. "But did you?"

I cleared my throat as memories of my father flashed before my mind. "I wanted to make him proud of me." I hesitated. "Mama told me stories of how, before money and status became the most important things in his world; she had been everything to him." I cleared my throat. "And to think, there was a time when I wanted to be just like him."

"For several years after his death, I felt only hatred for the man. But someone very dear to me," I smiled as I thought about my Bella, "helped me to realize that I did love Papa. There were many things that I didn't like about him and I don't know for certain whether he ever loved me, but once I realized that I loved him, I found it easy to forgive him." I pulled out another cigarette and lit it. "For everything."

I wondered if Teddy was aware of just how much there was to forgive.

"When the crash came and Papa lost his business, the world I'd known since birth was forever altered. He had invested heavily, much more so than anyone we knew. Whereas many of those other families got to keep their homes, we lost everything."

See how the mighty have fallen…

"I came home from school one day to find most of our furniture being carted off." I sighed, remembering the thing that hurt the most was seeing my prized train being carried out of the front door.

Little did I realize that I was about to lose a lot more than a few toys.

"My Mama showed strength which I never knew she possessed. While Papa shut down and began to drink heavily, Mama seemed to thrive off of hardship."

We survived for months living off the money we'd gotten from the sale of our furniture, but then, as Mama explained, we'd reached the point where we needed to sell our house. I'd been sad all week thinking about it. We were moving to a flat on the other side of town. I would be attending a different school, and wouldn't see my friends very often, if ever again.

**** Flashback ***** Edward/8years ****

"Edward, everything you want to take must fit into those two crates. There won't be room for anything else in the flat." Mama explained as we prepared to move from the only home I'd ever known.

As I carefully chose which treasures to take, Roger and Johnny appeared in my doorway. "Need any help?" Johnny asked sadly.

I nodded but didn't speak, afraid of crying in front of them.

We worked in silence until Roger spoke. "I wish you didn't have to move. It's a tough break Eddie."

"I know." I thought about how much I'd changed in the past few months. The spoiled child I'd once been no longer existed.

Before, I would never have shown weakness in front of my friends. I had been the leader; the fellow they both looked up to.

"Maybe when everything settles down and you have money again you can move back here?" Johnny asked hopefully.

"Yeah, maybe," I shrugged.

"Well, well, you little bastards here to rub it in our faces?" My father's drunken slur from the doorway made me jump. "You tell your parents we don't need their charity."

I knew that Johnny and Roger's mothers sometimes sent over food when they had extra.

"Your parents used to kiss my ass, and now they dare to feel sorry for my family? Did they send you here to spy on us?" he demanded as he lurched into the room.

"N..N..No sir." Roger stuttered out.

"Not sure I believe you," he said with narrowed eyes as he grasped Roger's arm. "You make sure to tell them that Edward Masen won't be down for long. I'll be back, you'll see," he barked before dropping Roger's arm. "Now you kids get the hell outta here!"

My friends scampered from my room without another word.

It would be many years before I'd see either of them again.

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

It was hard to believe that things could get any worse, but they did. Papa didn't even pretend to be looking for work anymore; he spent his waking hours drinking and yelling at us. My little sister had grown so fearful of his outbursts that she stopped speaking altogether; knowing that the sound of her voice could set him off.

Mama found work at a bakery, and I did what I could to help; selling newspapers on the corner and running errands for Mama's boss.

One afternoon, on our way home from school, things changed for the worse once again. I held my little sister's hand as we made our way through the windswept streets back to the flat.

As we got closer to home, an inexplicable fear began to claw at me. I knew that Papa would be the only one home. I hoped he would be asleep.

I chatted away to Claire about my classes, trying to dispel the feeling of uneasiness, but I couldn't shake the fear that gripped my heart. Something told me not to allow Claire to enter the flat.

Standing outside the door, I could hear the music from our old radio playing loudly. So loudly in fact that I was certain the neighbors had complained.

Papa never cared.

"Claire, would you go down to Mrs. O'Connell's and see if she has any laundry for Mama?" To make extra money, Mama took in laundry. Claire and I helped her with the chore. It was ironic considering my father's angry decree the year before.

As soon as my sister was out of sight, I turned the key in the lock and opened the door.

I would never forget the sight which greeted my eyes.

My father, the man I was named for, the man who had been my rock until everything had gone to hell, was lying on the floor in a pool of his own vomit and blood. Feathers from the pillow he'd used to muffle the sound of the gunshot lay strewn around his body like blood-tinged snowflakes.

No one ever said for certain whether he'd shot himself accidentally in his drunken stupor, or if he'd willfully pulled the trigger to end his own life.

All signs indicated the latter.

The bile rose in my throat as I forced myself to shut the door again. I dropped to my knees in the hallway, bending over while retching and heaving the contents of my stomach onto the floor.

I cannot allow Claire to see Papa…

I half-crawled to the door across the hall. After pulling up to my feet, I knocked weakly, hoping and praying that Mr. Nicholls, rather than Mrs. Nicholls, would be the one to answer.

For the first time that day, luck was with me. "Edward, son, what's happened?" Mr. Nicholls asked in alarm as I collapsed against him.

"Papa… he's…"

"Has he hurt you?" Mr. Nicholls asked angrily as he seemed to look me over for injuries. "So help me, I warned that man..."

I shook my head, trying to keep from vomiting again. "No, Papa's dead. He shot himself. He's in there," I gasped out as I gestured toward the door to our flat. "I don't want Claire to see."

Mr. Nicholls' eyes opened wide in alarm. "Oh my boy," he said sadly as he held my trembling body against his chest.

** end flashback**

I ran my hand roughly over my face before dropping the cigarette to the ground and stepping on it. After taking a deep calming breath, I looked around. There was a large fallen tree just off the path to our right and I watched as Teddy made for it and sat down, gesturing that I should do the same.

"Let's have a rest shall we, while you tell me about your life after your father's death."

I sat down beside him. "What little money Mama had managed to save, went to bury Papa. She didn't have the heart to put him in a pauper's grave."

"Seeing that Papa's death was most likely a suicide, we had a difficult time finding a man of the cloth to say words over his grave."

Teddy frowned and shook his head disapprovingly. "And they call themselves 'men of God'."

"In the end, she found an elderly minister willing to help. Aside from the minister and us, the only other people there when we said our goodbyes were Mr. and Mrs. Nicholls."

I cleared my throat before continuing. "Mama's brother had been asking us to come live with them ever since we'd sold our house. Papa wouldn't hear of it. With him gone, there was nothing to stop us."

"Mr. Nicholls borrowed a truck, and drove us all the way to our Uncle and Aunt's home in Peoria Illinois. The years we lived there, were happy ones."

Teddy smiled and crossed his arms across his chest, as I continued.

"Even though Uncle Jimmy had lost his job after the crash, he'd found a lower-paying one. To help make up for the loss of income, they took in boarders. Mama helped as best she could. She had learned a lot while working in the bakery, and soon she and Aunt Liz were selling baked goods from Aunt Liz's kitchen, and turning a tidy profit as well."

"For as much bad luck as we'd had, the fates seemed to finally be smiling on us. Claire began to speak again, and for the next few years our lives was just about perfect."

I couldn't keep from smiling at what I was about to say. "When I was fifteen, a family came to board with us. I fell in love with their daughter that first day."

**** Flashback ***** Edward/15-19years ****

"Edward, Aunt Liz needs you downstairs."

"Of course Mama," I said as I laid aside my homework and headed downstairs without delay.

The new boarders were a nice family. Mr. Swan was quiet, and his wife the opposite. As a matter of fact, Mrs. Swan made such a commotion that I didn't notice they had a daughter until I glanced past them into the corner of the foyer and saw her standing there, watching me.

She was small and unassuming with the most expressive brown eyes I'd ever seen and her long brown hair fell over her shoulders in waves. I felt rooted in place as I watched her, unable to speak or move, only able to stare at the lovely creature before me. For a moment, I worried that she wasn't real, but possibly the figment of my overactive imagination.

"Edward, this is Mr. and Mrs. Swan's daughter Isabella."

Isabella

"Call me Bella, everyone else does," even her voice was beautiful.

I smiled at her, but before I had a chance to answer, I was interrupted. "Edward, please help Mr. Swan carry these cases upstairs."

"Yes, Aunt Liz."

It took weeks until I was able to work up the courage to have a conversation with Bella that consisted of more than the usual pleasantries. Once we got to know each other, the floodgates opened and we told each other everything. In no time at all, she became my closest confidante, closer even than Claire.

Bella's father had managed to keep his job. But then, a year before their move to our house, the family had been hit hard by the influenza. Bella cried when she told me of her Grandmother's death and about almost losing her father to the dreaded illness as well.

He had been sick for so long that when he finally recovered, he no longer had a job. The Swans lost their home and most of their possessions, but Bella said it didn't matter. She was grateful to have her father.

I shared the details of my life before I met her and she cried with me when I explained about finding Papa dead. Bella was the first person I'd ever told about that horrible day.

Her hand gently touched my forearm as I sat with my head bowed. "You loved him."

I wanted to argue. "He was harsh, cruel and vindictive."

"Yes, but you loved him."

I shook my head and covered my face with my hands. "He didn't deserve to be loved."

"Edward, our parents are the first people we learn to love. It's unconditional. And because you loved him, the things he did hurt all the more."

I felt the hot tears trail down my cheeks as she wrapped her arms around me.

She was right.

As time passed, I found myself craving her company. Having never felt that way before, I didn't know what it meant.

After I turned sixteen, a friend of my Uncle Jimmy's offered me an after school job at the Caterpillar Company, I couldn't refuse. Working there almost guaranteed a permanent position upon graduation.

The new job was not only time-consuming, but exhausting as well. I had to quit the baseball team and my cousins took over the deliveries for Mama and Aunt Liz. I was thankful that I, at least, got to see Bella as we walked to school each morning.

Every afternoon I went straight to work and was usually so exhausted when I arrived home that I barely had the energy to eat my dinner before falling into bed.

My weekends were spent catching up on homework. Even with all that, I managed to squeeze in some time with Bella. We would sneak off to the park and swing, or sit on a bench to talk. She would tell me everything I'd missed while at work. She and Claire had become great friends and spent almost every afternoon helping Aunt Liz and Mama.

Almost inevitably, we would speculate as to how different our lives would have been if the stock market hadn't crashed. I never told Bella, but I no longer resented the sad chain of events, because without them, I would never have found her.

"Edward, you are so brave, and good, and true," she whispered with her hand on my cheek when I told her about the years that Claire didn't speak and how Mama and I had worried. "I've never met anyone who has had to endure the things you have, and yet it hasn't left you bitter or resentful."

I shook my head while I placed my hand over hers, keeping it pressed against my cheek. "I'm afraid you think too much of me Bella. I'm not the perfect person you imagine me to be."

I am my father's son after all…

"You are perfect," she whispered, "at least in my eyes you are."

I looked into those eyes, and suddenly everything became clear. I was in love with her, and had been for some time. Probably since the day we met. I allowed my gaze to drift downward to Bella's lips. The urge to feel those lips pressed against mine was overwhelming, and I'm ashamed to say that I acted upon that urge without a second thought.

I grasped her arms, pulling her to me, and brought my lips to hers before melting into the soft warm kiss. The feel of those lips against mine was heaven and I knew that I wanted this forever. When Bella sighed ever so softly, I was abruptly made aware of my inappropriate behavior and immediately pulled back, barely able to look her in the eye. "Oh Bella, I apologize. What must you think of me…"

Bella looked at me curiously. "Edward, what are you talking about?"

"I am so sorry for my ungentlemanly behavior. I hope you know I'm not the sort of fellow to go around stealing kisses."

Bella smiled; amused. "I should hope not Edward. Have you kissed many girls?"

My mouth fell open in surprise. "Why no, of course not." I defended before adding in a whisper, "You are the first."

"Well then, you haven't stolen any kisses, because I gave that one of my own free will." Her smile was so happy and bright that I couldn't resist smiling along with her, and kissing her again for good measure.

****HofA****

"It was wonderful Edward! Oh how I wish I could sing like Judy Garland," Bella exclaimed as we left the movie theater. "Thank you for taking me," she said before leaning up to kiss my lips, right there in the middle of the busy sidewalk. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders, pulling her close, while ignoring the catcalls.

"If that's your reaction, I'll have to take you to the picture show more often Miss Swan."

Bella giggled and kissed me again. "I love you Bella," I whispered. It wasn't the first time I'd said it; not by a long shot.

Bella grinned. "I love you too Edward."

I never tired of hearing those words.

***HofA***

The next year passed in a haze of work, school, and happy moments spent with Bella, and before I knew it, I was graduating from high school. Before I began my full-time job at Caterpillar however, Mama, Claire and I traveled to St. Louis. I was thrilled that Bella's parents allowed her to make the journey with us.

We showed Bella our former home, spent some time with Mr. and Mrs. Nicholls and lastly, before returning to Peoria, visited Papa's grave.

Claire placed a small bundle of flowers there before telling him she loved him. She had told me once that it had been easy for her to remember the Papa who had bounced her on his knee and sang to her when she was small. The man he had become during the last year of his life had been a stranger.

Mama also told him in a whisper that she loved him and said a quiet prayer. Deciding that I needed a moment, she and Claire walked a few yards away. When Bella turned to follow them, I stopped her. "Stay with me."

She smiled before placing her hand in mine. I stared down at the grey stone, wishing I could tell him I loved him. "I can't say it," I whispered.

"What Edward?"

"I can't tell him I love him, there's just too much that happened..." I sat down on the grave and placed my head in my hands.

Bella's gentle touch on my shoulder was comforting, her words even more so. "Edward, I don't think it's necessary to say it. It's enough that you know it to be true." She knelt down beside me and placed her hand in mine. "I think it's more important that you forgive him for you family's pain; for your pain."

I breathed in sharply, remembering the day I found him dead on the floor and my stomach churned. On that day he had lost all hope, and no matter how much we loved him, it hadn't been enough to save him.

I could forgive him that. I had to if I ever wanted to free myself of the weight of those memories. I touched the stone, tracing my finger over the letters of his name. "I forgive you Papa," I said in a low whisper. "And I hope that you've found peace."

***HofA***

Upon returning from St. Louis, I started my full-time job. It was the summer before Bella and Claire would begin their senior year of high school.

One evening as Bella and I were returning from a walk, we found Bella's parents waiting for us in the front parlor. "Good evening Edward," Mr. Swan began in a serious tone. "Mrs. Swan and I need to have a word with Bella if you don't mind."

"Oh, of course," I said politely before giving Bella a reassuring smile and exiting toward the kitchen. Something about Mr. Swan's tone made me uneasy, and I contemplated lurking in the hallway in an attempt to eavesdrop on their conversation, but thought better of it.

It wouldn't do to have the father of the girl I love angry with me

Instead, I poured a glass of milk and helped myself to a few cookies from the jar as I waited. I knew Bella would seek me out as soon as she finished speaking with her parents.

A few minutes turned into almost a full half hour before Bella emerged from the parlor. Her eyes were red rimmed, and her cheeks were damp with tears. "Bella, whatever is the matter? Oh Bella, what's wrong?"

She rested her forehead against me and proceeded to cry into my chest. I could do nothing but rub soothing circles on her back as I waited for an explanation.

Once she'd calmed enough to speak, she began. "Oh Edward, my father has a new job."

I bent my head down, trying to look into her eyes. "But Bella, surely that's good news."

She nodded and sniffled. "It is. His cousin got it for him." She took a deep breath and ran her fingers along the lapel of my jacket. "It's a very good job Edward. It's with the B&O Railroad, and he'll be based in Baltimore." She watched my face for a reaction.

No. This can't be happening.

"Father leaves tomorrow. Mother and I will follow in a week." She said as a couple of fresh tears fell down her cheeks. I wiped them away with my thumbs. "They want me to be there in time to start the school year in Baltimore."

"I'll miss you so much," her lip quivered, "but we can write all the time…." She said as her voice faltered.

I held her face between my hands. "Bella," I soothed, "it will work out. Do you think that I have any intention of losing you now? After you graduate, we'll find a way to be together. I promise." I tried to sound convincing, but inside, I was dying.

The next few months were difficult. I worked hard, trying to take my mind off of missing Bella.

We wrote weekly, sometimes more often.

It hadn't taken long for new boarders to move in, although Mr. and Mrs. Malloy, and their daughter Laura were nothing like the Swans. Mr. and Mrs. Malloy were extremely indulgent parents, and therefore Laura was spoiled and selfish.

It made me miss my Bella all the more.

To make matters worse, Laura seemed determined to become the object of my affections. I thought it best to ignore her advances without confrontation, but in the end, I was forced to explain to her that I already had a girlfriend, and was not interested in anyone else.

Laura wasn't one to easily accept defeat, "Mark my words Eddie, someday you'll see how perfect we are for each other. Don't think your little girlfriend isn't having her fun in Baltimore."

Her words caused a knot to form in my stomach.

***HofA***

December 1941 brought sudden change to all our lives.

America was at war.

Like most men my age, I signed up at the Army recruiting office the day after Pearl Harbor was attacked. In a few weeks, I would be headed to basic training in South Carolina.

That Christmas I traveled to Baltimore, needing to see my Bella; unsure of what the next year would bring. There had never been a more welcoming sight than that of my beautiful girl standing on the platform as I exited the train. All the doubts that Laura had raised in my mind quickly vanished when I wrapped my arms around her.

"I missed you Bella."

"I missed you too Edward, more than you can imagine."

I couldn't stop myself from kissing her, even with her father standing just a few feet away. I placed my hand against her cheek and brought my lips to hers. They were soft and inviting, just as I'd remembered, and the skin of her cheek, smooth and warm beneath my fingertips.

I never wanted to let her go.

***H*of*A***

That certain night,  
The night we met,  
There was magic abroad in the air.  
There were angels dining at the Ritz,  
And a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.

It was my last night in Baltimore. We were attending a New Year's dance at the local fire hall and my girl had been the recipient of many an admiring glance. My stomach twisted at the realization that once I went home to Peoria, these other fellows would remain here in Baltimore; entirely too close to my Bella for comfort.

"So you're the lucky guy," I turned to see a fellow about my age standing beside me as I poured Bella a glass of punch.

He seemed amused by my confusion. "The guy that Bella Swan's so crazy about."

I smiled at those words, and reached to shake his hand. "Edward Masen."

He nodded and returned the shake. "Michael Clarke," he didn't smile back as he continued, "Bella's a wonderful girl, but I don't believe in beating around the bush so, just know that if you are ever stupid enough to hurt her, I'll be there waiting."

I glared at him, knowing all too well what he was hinting at. "Well, you had better prepare yourself for a long wait then." I turned on my heel and went back to Bella without another word.

After Bella had taken a sip of her punch I took her hand in mine. "Let's dance."

She smiled and let me lead her to the dance floor.

"Bella." I said quietly as I held her close.

"Yes?" She smiled softly.

"I know I haven't asked you formally, I mean, I intend to," I sighed and looked around, making sure we didn't have an audience.

"Bella, you're the only girl I've ever loved, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I think you feel the same way about me, so I was hoping that, even though I don't have a ring yet…."

Bella's eyes were shining with tears.

"And I know we're young, but I'm a hard worker. I promise to take care of you." I took a breath, "Do you think you could give me a hint as to what your answer will be when I do ask?"

Bella grinned. "That may have been the worst almost proposal in history."

I didn't blush often, but I could feel my face heat up at her words. "I'm sorry…."

"Edward," she placed her finger on my lips. "When you do ask, my answer will be yes; it will always be yes Edward."

"Oh Bella, you've made me the happiest man in the world." I smiled wider than I ever had in my life. "I know it's not official without the ring, but I promise the next time you see me, I'll be carrying it." I hugged her close before pressing my lips to hers.

Bella cried when I boarded the train for home. "Bella, the paper says that this thing will be over in six months. Think about it, in less than a year I'll be back with you," I soothed.

***H*of*A***

"I'm sorry dear, I'm getting tears all over your jacket," Mama said as she and Claire waited for me to board the train that would take me to South Carolina.

"I'll miss you Edward," Claire whispered in my ear. I hugged her tightly before kissing them both goodbye. As I waved from my window on the train, I swore I caught a glimpse of Laura's blonde curls in the crowd.

I shook my head. She was tenacious, I'd give her that.

As they always did, my thoughts went to Bella; where she was, what she was doing. I missed her so...

***** end flashback ****


	3. Chapter 3

 

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Almost there now," Teddy answered. "So the next few months were spent in South Carolina?"

"Yes," I ran my hand roughly through my hair as I thought about that year. "Bella and I wrote to one another constantly, but now the letters were different. We were more than just girlfriend and boyfriend; we were planning a future together."

"I saved every extra cent and found the perfect ring in a little jewelry store in town. It wasn't very large by any means, but I knew she would like it. I began to carry it around in my pocket, when I wasn't on duty, just to feel it close."

"I had volunteered for the parachute infantry, so after basic training I was given leave before the more intense training would begin in Georgia. I wired Bella, and she was ecstatic that I'd be home, even if it was only for a few days. She planned to meet me in Peoria, so that I could spend the time with her, Mama and Claire."

"My plan was to propose."

"Instead of Bella arriving however, we received a telegram in her stead." I sighed. "Her Mother had been rushed to the hospital with appendicitis. Luckily they'd caught it in time. Understandably Bella didn't want to leave her."

"I was bitterly disappointed and tried to find a way to Baltimore that would still allow me to arrive in Georgia on time. I was unsuccessful. Thankfully, I was able to speak with Bella on the telephone and learned that her mother was improving. The night before I was due to leave, I sat in the parlor, long after everyone had gone to bed, drinking and feeling sorry for myself."

****Flashback *** Edward/20years ***

I downed the whiskey, hoping the burn would numb my aching heart.

"I'm sorry about what happened with your girlfriend Edward," I was startled by Laura's voice from the doorway.

"Thanks," I muttered.

"I wish I could find someone who cared about me like that."

I stared at my glass, offering no response. The feel of Laura's hand on my arm startled me, and I pulled away.

"Sorry," she whispered. I immediately felt like a jackass. I shouldn't have been taking my bad mood out on her.

"No, I just…"

"It's okay, I'll leave you alone." Laura said before turning to leave.

"No, I'm sorry; you can stay if you want."

"You're sure?"

I nodded.

Laura sat down and chatted quietly for the better part of another hour, attempting to take my mind from my troubles. When I could no longer keep my eyes open, I excused myself and went to bed. It was the first time since I'd known her that Laura hadn't gotten on my nerves.

***H*of*A***

The next couple of months were grueling. As I discovered, parachute training wasn't for everyone. I was one of the few who made it through.

Bella and I continued to correspond every few days. Unfortunately, Laura began corresponding to me as well. I opened one letter out of curiosity, and never opened another. She had deluded herself into thinking I actually had feelings for her. I hoped by ignoring her that she'd get the message and leave me alone.

When the letter I wrote to Bella in August went unanswered for two weeks, I wrote her again.

Dearest Bella,

Please write back soon. I can only assume that my last letter never reached you, for I have yet to receive a response.

I miss you, and cannot wait to see you again.

All my love,  
Edward

Another two weeks passed before I received a letter in her familiar hand. I opened it eagerly.

Dear Edward,

I think it best that this letter be the last piece of correspondence between us.

I cannot lie and say that I don't feel hurt and betrayed by what has happened, any more than I can lie and say that I don't love you. The fact is that I love you so much that I find it easy to forgive you.

While I'll never understand the needs of a man, and how those needs can betray the wishes of the heart, I can and do forgive you for it.

You have responsibilities now that must not include me. I know you well enough to believe that you would still want to choose me over those responsibilities. I'm sorry Edward, but I could not live with myself were that to happen.

I wish you nothing but happiness. Maybe someday, I will be able to wish the same for myself.

Love,  
Bella

I stared unbelieving at the words. None of what she'd written made sense. How had I hurt and betrayed her? I felt the panic build in my chest as I thought of what this meant.

She was walking away from me. From us. But why?

I wrote letter after letter begging to learn the reasons for her behavior and for a chance to defend myself. I received no reply, instead, the letters were eventually returned to me, unopened.

I wrote my family, begging them to find out what had happened. Time passed with still no word from Bella until the day arrived for me to ship out. My family came to the dock in New York to see me off. I realized then that I'd been holding out hope that Bella would be with them.

She wasn't.

However, I was shocked to find that Laura was.

I spoke quietly with Mama and Claire before boarding the ship. Laura stood away from them, patiently waiting her turn. "Mama," I whispered, "why is Laura here?"

"I have no idea Edward, but she insisted on following us. I couldn't very well refuse since she paid her own way."

We went on to speak about the subject preying on my mind.

Bella

Mama told me that Mrs. Swan was just as perplexed as we were by Bella's behavior. All she knew was that Bella had been in tears for weeks before writing that letter. Afterwards, she was a shadow of her former self with never a smile gracing those beautiful lips.

My throat tightened to think of her sad.

"My dear, have faith, Bella loves you. Maybe she was feeling anxious, knowing that you were leaving for the war. Fear can do strange things to a person. I think you should continue to write her."

I prayed Mama was right.

Laura approached and I watched as Mama rolled her eyes. "Laura, what are you doing here?" I asked, trying and failing to keep the irritation from my tone.

"Edward, I couldn't let you leave without saying goodbye," she smiled and moved uncomfortably close. "You know, your pain would go away if you would give the feelings you have for me a chance."

I looked at her incredulously. "Laura honestly, I feel nothing for you. I'm at a loss as to understand why you would travel all this way for someone whose heart belongs to another."

I needed to be brutally honest; being polite had gotten me nowhere.

"She's moved on Edward. It's time for you to think about your own happiness. Forget her," she purred near my ear before throwing her arms around my neck.

I pulled back causing her arms to drop to her sides, while she smirked at my discomfort.

Laura was what most fellows would call a 'looker'. Some would even go as far as to say she was beautiful.

However for me, there would never be anyone but Bella. For the rest of my life, I would never want anyone else. When I died, I would leave this earth still in love with Bella Swan.

"You don't know what you're talking about Laura. I could never forget her. Bella owns my heart and soul. That will never change."

Laura grew angry then. "You need to wake up Edward. I went to a lot of trouble to make sure we could be together, but I won't wait forever. What is wrong with you? You should hate her for what she did!" She yelled before Mama intervened.

"Laura, I must ask you to stop shouting at my son. He has never shown any interest in you." Mama hissed, "Stop making a fool of yourself."

Laura turned to leave, but couldn't resist a parting shot. "Just remember who cared enough to show up here today Edward," She snapped before disappearing into the crowd.

***** end flashback ****

"Ah," Teddy sighed, "this is a nice view, don't you think?"

We were standing on top of a cliff looking out over a peaceful sea.

I watched as Teddy took a seat on the grass. "It was a long time until you saw Bella again, but you did see her, am I right?"

I sat down and nodded. "It was months later, and an ocean away. The weeks on that transport were the most difficult of my life; worse than when my family lost everything; worse than when Papa killed himself. I had weeks with nothing to distract me from the pain of my broken heart."

 


	4. Chapter 4

 

**** Flashback ***** Edward/21-22years ****

"Masen, is that you?" I turned toward the voice, and found two fellows staring at me.

"Well I'll be damned, it is you," One of them stated before they both smiled widely.

I watched them curiously before remembering two very similar smiles from years before. The sight of those smiles brought to mind memories of my childhood in St. Louis.

"Roger? Johnny?"

"That's us!" Roger exclaimed as he shook my hand while patting me on the shoulder.

"I can't believe it!" I exclaimed.

"Damn it's good to see you Masen," Johnny spoke then. "Let's go grab a pint and catch up."

That's exactly what we did, our shared history made it easy to fall into conversation as we sat and drank in a local pub. It was the first time I'd felt truly happy since Bella's letter.

"You seem different my friend," Roger said as he studied me. "In a good way," he clarified. "You're definitely not the same kid I remember."

I rubbed the back of my neck with my hand. "Things happened. I suppose they changed me."

Roger and Johnny nodded in understanding before Johnny spoke in a low voice, "We were both sorry to hear about your father Edward."

I nodded, not wanting to speak of it. Thankfully, a distraction came a moment later in the form of a beautiful nurse.

"Uh-oh, here she comes," Johnny said as he nudged my elbow and pointed toward the door. "Every evening like clockwork she arrives, and our friend Roger is tripping over his tongue."

I looked up to see a British Army nurse enter and look in our direction. She winked at Roger and he was immediately on his feet moving toward her. He placed his hand under her elbow and led her to our table. "Julia, you already know this so and so," he said while gesturing toward Johnny, "but I'd like to introduce you to Edward Masen, one of my best friends."

To hear Roger introduce me in that way, affected me. When we were children, I wasn't very nice to my 'friends', as a matter of fact, I can remember being a bit of a tyrant. However that wasn't how they chose to remember me, and I was grateful beyond words for it.

"Nice to meet you Julia," I told her with a smile.

"My pleasure," Julia said before turning back to Roger. I felt my heart clench in my chest when I realized that the look she was giving him was the same one Bella used to give me.

Spending time with Roger and Johnny helped me to forget, but at night as I lay in my bunk the memory of Bella returned sharp and clear. Her beautiful eyes, the shape of her face, the way she would throw her head back when she laughed, how she unconsciously wet her lips just before I would kiss her…

My heart would start pounding in my chest when I wondered if she'd moved on; wondered who she was kissing now. I remembered the faces of Michael and the other boys at the dance, so eager to spend time with her, although she only had eyes for me.

Had that changed?

That was usually about the time I'd drift off to sleep, but even then I couldn't escape her, because every night, Bella starred in my dreams. Mercifully, all were happy memories of time spent together, walks, picnics, fishing and swimming at the lake; the sun glistening off the beads of moisture on her fair skin as I would sneak peeks of her while she sunbathed.

Bella telling me that she loved me…

I would wake, gasping for air with the weight of everything I'd lost pressing down upon my chest, robbing me of the ability to breathe. I was silent in my misery though, so my bunkmates thankfully never grew wise to my pain. Most had their own crosses to bear.

***H*of*A***

I'd been in England a few weeks when a letter from my sister arrived.

Dear Edward,

I hope you're well. Mama and I miss you terribly. I've got lots to tell you. The first bit of news is that the Malloys have moved out. After Mama heard the things Laura said to you in New York, she grew suspicious. During the ride back home, she questioned Laura. It didn't take long to break her.

You should have seen it Edward. Mama was magnificent, by the time we'd arrived in Peoria; Laura was reduced to a crying sniveling mess.

Brace yourself brother dear, because what I've got to tell you will be a shock. I still find it hard to believe that a deceitful creature such as Laura Malloy could have lived with us all that time and successfully masked her true nature.

Evidently, while you were in Georgia, Laura sent a letter to Bella which was filled with lies! In the letter, she claimed that you, in your drunken despair over the fact that Bella didn't make it to Peoria during your leave, had 'relations' with Laura and, as a result, she is now expecting your child.

Laura worded the letter in such a way that Bella, naïve sweet girl that she is, must have believed her.

She then played upon Bella's sense of honor stating that, if you refused to marry her, her life and the life of the child would be ruined. She told Bella that you would never willingly give her up, therefore she begged Bella to break up with you so that you would, in turn, do the right thing.

If Bella truly believed Laura's words, then I cannot hold the decision to break off with you against her. She willingly sacrificed her own happiness for the child she imagined to be real. Her reaction is exactly what I would have expected from our dear Bella.

As for Laura's motives, they were simple. She believed that with Bella out of the way, you'd fall madly in love with her. She doesn't know you at all.

I've written to the Swans in an effort to reach Bella, but have yet to hear a response. Chin up, I believe in my heart that you and Bella are meant to be together, and mere mortals such as Laura Malloy do not have the power to interfere with destiny.

I love you.

Your favorite sister,  
Claire

I had to read the letter three times before the words made sense. And then I became angry. Not at Bella, although I couldn't understand why she didn't talk to me before breaking off all ties. Then I remembered her saying in the letter that she feared I'd never give her up. My shoulders slumped as I realized she was right. Even if the things Laura had written had in fact been true, I wouldn't have wanted to give up my future with Bella.

I winced as I realized that I was indeed my father's son, selfish to the core.

***H*of*A***

As Claire and Mama continued to try to contact the Swans, I was busy preparing for the invasion. The weeks turned into months as more troops continued to arrive.

Roger and Johnny, seeing how miserable I was, although I'd tried my best to hide it, seemed to make it their mission to 'find me a girl'. After refusing their efforts time and time again, I finally broke down one evening after the consumption of too many beers, and told them about Bella.

"Eddie, I feel terrible now for pushing you into talking to those other girls," Roger slurred. He was almost as drunk as I was.

"Line them up again barkeep, our friend is nursing a broken heart," Johnny shouted, causing everyone in the place to turn and stare at me.

If I'd been sober, I might have been embarrassed.

"Would you two drunken fools leave poor Eddie alone," Julia interrupted. It was quiet for a while before Julia turned to me and spoke in a low voice. "Trust me, I'm not saying this to make you feel worse, but did you ever think that maybe the best thing would be to find someone else Eddie? At least it would help you to forget…"

I winced and shook my head before staring down into my beer glass, even the thought of replacing Bella was painful.

She patted my arm. "No, I can see that's not possible. Well, if you should ever change your mind, just say the word, I have a couple of friends who would be tickled to meet a nice chap like you." She told me with a smile.

After working all day, we tended to have a lot of evenings free. While my friends continued to spend those evenings in the pub, chatting up the local female population, I had taken to visiting a little book shop in town.

It was there that my life changed once again for the better.

As I rounded the aisle, headed toward the back of the shop, I was graced with a familiar profile. She hadn't changed much, maybe a little thinner, and her face bore a sad expression that I hadn't often seen during the time I'd known her.

Just as I did the first time we'd met, I worried that she was a figment of my imagination. As I got closer, her eyes suddenly lifted from the book that she held in her hands, and she turned to face me. "Edward," she gasped.

"It's me," I whispered. It was only then that I took in her nurse's uniform and realized that she was indeed flesh and blood, not an apparition.

I wanted so badly to pull her into my arms, but was also aware that I needed to clear the air first. "How are you Bella?"

"I'm fine." She said with no conviction in her tone.

"Bella.."

"Edward.."

We began at the same time.

I acquiesced, gesturing that she should speak first. She swallowed hard, "How is your family?"

"Mama and Claire are well."

"No, I mean the rest of your family."

"My Aunt, Uncle and cousins are also well."

"No Edward, your, your wife," the word seemed to catch in her throat.

"There is no wife, Bella." I told her while looking into her sad eyes.

She gasped again. "But Edward, the child…."

"Bella, darling, there is no child. There never was a child. I know what Laura told you, but she lied. I have never been with Laura in that way, I've never been with any girl like that. You're the only girl I've ever even kissed, for crying out loud."

"But, I don't understand…"

"For whatever twisted reason, Laura wanted me. I just wish you'd given me the chance to explain this to you at the time."

Bella looked balefully up at me. "I don't understand. I wasn't thinking Edward. I… I was so hurt… Her letter was so convincing. How could I not believe?

I thought…

I mean…

Oh Edward!" Bella brought her hand to her mouth in horror as she was hit with the sudden realization of what Laura's lies had cost us.

"I wasn't in my right mind for a long time. When I found out from my mother that you were going overseas I seemed to snap to my senses and made the trip to New York, determined to at least say goodbye to you properly. I watched from a distance as you hugged your mother and sister. As I began to walk over to you, I saw her throw her arms around your neck. I couldn't take it. I turned and fled." Bella explained as tears trailed down her cheeks. "If she lied about everything Edward, then why was she there? Why were her arms around you?" She asked, her expression pleading.

"Bella, I want you to think back to exactly what you saw that day. Did you see me wrap my arms around her?" I asked as the last of my self-control vanished and I closed the distance between us, pulling her to me. "If you'd stayed a minute longer, you would have seen me push her away. She's out of her mind Bella and she's already kept me from you for far too long." I said, our lips almost touching. "I've only ever wanted you. Please tell me it's not too late. Tell me you still love me."

I had to hear the words.

"I love you," she whispered. "I've always loved only you."

I pressed my lips to hers and all the sadness and despondency I'd been feeling for the last few months fell away leaving just me and the woman I loved. My kisses were desperate as my lips traveled over the skin of her cheeks, her chin and her forehead before finding their way back to her warm and waiting mouth.

"Oh Bella, are you really here?" I asked in a whispered plea. "I've missed you so."

"I'm really here," she whispered.

I reveled in her touch as her arms reached around me; pulling me closer, but then she seemed to stiffen; her lips no longer responding to my kisses. I pulled back to look at her face only to find her pale and shaking.

"Bella, what's the matter?" I asked in alarm.

"Oh Edward, how can you ever forgive me for not trusting you?" She asked as the floodgates opened and tears began to stream down her face once again. "You deserve someone better than me. I'm so ashamed." She cried as she covered her face with her hands.

I pulled her hands away and kissed away her tears. "Darling, you are the kindest person I've ever known. I never questioned why it was so easy for you to believe Laura's story, you yourself don't have a deceitful bone in your body therefore it was impossible for you to recognize that trait in Laura. You were willing to forfeit your happiness in order to insure that I would do the right thing. You're a much better person than I am Bella, but I intend to spend the rest of my days striving to be the man you deserve."

"You're already more than I could ever deserve." She said quietly.

We spent the next couple of hours talking, although there were a few passionate kisses thrown in as well. I discovered that Bella had gone into a nurse training program as soon as she graduated. Her father had gotten a new job in Philadelphia and her parents had moved a few months ago, but unfortunately were having trouble receiving mail sent to the old address. Consequently, they hadn't received any of the letters from Mama and Claire telling them of Laura's deceitful behavior.

We lost track of the time as we got reacquainted and eventually the shop keeper, who had been rather indulgent, informed that she regretfully needed to close the shop and go home to bed. We apologized and said goodbye to her with a smile.

It was difficult to part from each other that night, but after agreeing to meet in front of the book shop the next evening, I kissed Bella once more and returned to the barracks with a lighter heart than I'd had in months.


	5. Chapter 5

 

When I arrived at the book shop the next afternoon, Bella was already there waiting. My breath caught in my throat when I saw her in a beautiful dress, carrying a picnic basket, her hair falling in waves around her shoulders as the sun's rays reflected off of it. I took the basket and wordlessly followed her to a little stretch of lawn beside a church where we had our picnic.

After we ate, I rose to one knee and took both her hands in mine. I'd made a promise, and I now had a plan. She smiled through her confusion.

"Bella, we've wasted so much time. I love you and can't imagine living without you ever again, the months I did were pure hell."

"Oh Edward, they were for me as well," was her whispered reply.

I pulled the ring from my pocket and watched as the tears filled her eyes.

"Bella, love," I took a deep breath. "Please say that you feel the same, tell me you'll marry me." I asked.

Bella rose to her knees and threw her arms around my neck. "Edward, I told you before that the answer would always be yes," she choked through her tears. "Yes, yes, yes."

I kissed her until we were both breathless. "I don't want to wait until after the war. Our families will just have to understand. Marry me here, in England, so that we can be together as man and wife before I'm forced to leave."

Bella, too overcome with emotion to speak, merely nodded.

We were married in the same church outside of which I had proposed. The sight of Bella walking down the aisle toward me, despite the fact that she wore a borrowed wedding gown and was on the arm of one of the doctors from the hospital, rather than that of her father, was the most beautiful sight I'd ever seen.

After the simple ceremony, we had a small reception at a pub in the village.

"A toast to Edward," Roger began, "I know I speak for John as well when I say how glad I am to have found you again and how proud I am to call you my friend. From the bottom of my heart, I wish you and Bella many years of happiness together." He raised his glass, "To Edward and Bella."

You went away and my heart went with you  
I speak your name in my every prayer  
If there is some other way to prove that I love you  
I swear I don't know how  
You'll never know if you don't know now

I watched as a tear trailed down Bella's cheek while we danced. "Don't cry my love."

"Oh Edward, to think that, because of me, we almost didn't have this," She whispered as another tear escaped.

"No more regrets Bella." I pressed my lips to hers. "Come on," I whispered as I took her hand, "I'm anxious to have you all to myself."

We said goodbye to our friends and made our way to the cottage Bella had rented for us. I had been granted three days leave and intended to make the most of them.

As we neared the door, I stopped and lifted Bella into my arms. "What are you doing?" she asked with a giggle.

"Carrying you over the threshold Mrs. Masen," I said as we made our way inside. I didn't stop moving until we reached the bedroom. "I love you darling," I breathed against her lips.

"I love you too Edward, so very much."

We were both nervous, but I tried to hide it. I'd heard the other guys talk, sometimes in great detail, about their experiences, so I was certain I knew what to do. I only hoped that Bella's inexperience would keep mine from being too noticeable.

I lavished her with kisses before helping to remove her gown. She, in turn, removed my jacket, letting it fall to the floor. And so we proceeded to undress one another; our hands shaking from nerves, our movements awkward.

It was perfect.

"Oh sweetheart, I've waited so long to be with you this way." I swallowed hard as I reached to undo her stockings and removed them one by one. "Are you very nervous?"

She shook her head. "Not too terribly nervous Edward. I trust you."

After removing the remainder of our clothing, I lay Bella back on the bed in order to take in the sight of her. She was an absolute vision. She blushed as my eyes roamed her body and I noticed that she averted her glance from the sight of my arousal. "Bella, don't be embarrassed love. You are beautiful. I could look at you all night." I said before our lips met again, molding perfectly together. I trailed kisses down her neck and across her chest before worshipping each perfect breast. I knew she could feel my hardness against her leg, but all I could think of was how much I wanted to be inside her.

With the gentlest of touches, I reached down between us, preparing her for what was to come. When it seemed she was ready for me, I guided my length to her entrance and kissed her lips once more. "I love you my darling, but I don't want to hurt you."

"Edward please, I want this; I want you. You could never hurt me," she whispered. "Make love to me."

Her words were my undoing. I kissed her once more before entering her slowly, very slowly, watching for any signs of distress on her face. She tensed once and I stilled until she relaxed. Once I was fully sheathed, the sensation of being enveloped in her wet heat was all-consuming. Instinctually, I began to move as I expressed over and over through words and kisses what she meant to me.

Her small soft hands roamed my back, as her hips rose to meet my every thrust. We were lost in a haze of pleasure I'd never known existed before that night. I gave up trying to speak then, my words unintelligible, until with a loud moan Bella and I tumbled over the edge of ecstasy together.

I lay there panting, exhausted, and feeling more blessed than I ever had in my life.

***H*of*A***

 

The next few months passed in a blur of joy and contentment. Instead of being nervous or fearful of the looming invasion, I was living every day for the moments I could spend with Bella.

Bella kept the cottage and whenever I wasn't on duty, we would spend our nights there, blissfully together.

"What are you thinking?" Bella asked in the darkness just before dawn as we lay on our sides, facing one another.

"How much I love you," I answered truthfully, "and how much I don't want this time we have together to end."

Bella drew in a shuddering breath as she placed her hand on my cheek. "When you do have to leave," somehow I knew she wasn't speaking of when I'd have to return to the barracks, "will you promise to come back?"

"Would that it were so easy to promise that my love," I answered before turning my head and kissing the palm of her hand. "I can promise to do everything within my power to make it back to you."

I could see her eyes glistening with unshed tears in the half-light.

"But Bella if I don't return, you have to promise me that you won't let yourself become overcome with grief. Live your life darling, live for the both of us."

She shook her head. "It's not possible…" she said in a broken whisper.

"Yes it is Bella. You have so much to give. So much to see and accomplish." I pulled her close to my chest and told her what I needed to say. "And," I hesitated, "if you were to eventually meet someone that cares for you; someone who treats you as you deserve, I want you to be happy darling."

She began to cry in earnest then.

"Love, I didn't mean to make you cry," I said as leaned back in order to wipe away her tears.

She looked up into my eyes with an expression that broke my heart. "Edward, if you don't return I will spend every day missing you, thinking of you, loving you. No one in this world could ever fill the space in my heart that you hold. Don't even ask me to attempt to allow someone else to take your place."

I held her as she cried herself to sleep, and hoped against hope that it wouldn't come to that.

As preparations began to take a more serious turn at camp, we both became painfully aware that our time together was drawing to an end. Each time I held her in my arms, I wondered if it would be the last.

In late May, we were spending one such evening together in the cottage. I held her close as we danced to a song on the radio.

Let's say goodbye with a smile dear,  
Just for a while dear, we must part  
Don't let this parting upset you,  
I'll not forget you, sweetheart,

We'll meet again,  
Don't know where,  
don't know when.  
But I know we'll meet again, some sunny day.

Bella's eyes filled with tears as she watched me. "I have something to tell you Edward, and I must do it tonight because I'm not sure when I'll see you again."

I nodded, we could both sense that things were about to change.

"I wasn't sure, but then Dr. Cullen confirmed my suspicions. You're going to be a father," she said with a small smile. "I'm to have a baby."

I stopped breathing as my mind processed her words.

A father?

For some reason, a memory of my own father flashed before my mind, but it wasn't one of the usual distressing memories. It was of a day spent in the park, throwing a baseball; teaching me how to swing a bat. Instead of reprimands, words of encouragement had poured forth from his lips.

My eyes focused once again on my beautiful wife. She was carrying our child. My happiness at this revelation knew no bounds. "Oh Bella, this is more than I could have ever wished for," I whispered against her hair as I held her. "I am so, so happy my love," I told her before kissing her lips.

I made love to her slowly that night, making each moment last. For the rest of the night, I watched her as she lay sleeping and thought of our child. I wondered if we would have a son or a daughter. It didn't matter, as long as the child took after its mother. I smiled at the thought, and in the wee hours of the morning, wrote one final letter to her, to be opened in the event of my death.

"How can I leave you like this?" I asked as I swallowed back the lump in my throat. After I'd kissed her goodbye, Bella had clung to me before collapsing onto the bed and crying bitterly into her pillow. I sat and rubbed her back, trying to soothe her worries. "Oh Bella, this is so difficult. I love you darling; you have to know that I don't want to leave, but you mustn't do this to yourself. Think of the baby…"

My words seemed to have an effect.

She sniffled before raising her head. "The baby?" she gasped. "Edward, you don't think I've harmed the baby do you?"

"Of course not my love, but I also know that this behavior is not good for you, therefore it stands to reason that it's not good for the baby."

I watched as she swallowed back her tears and nodded. "I'll try to behave, I just love you so much Edward," she said as her voice cracked.

"As I love you, now please kiss me again."

She raised her head and threw her arms around me. I could taste the salty tears. "No matter what, always remember that I love you; and that's forever Bella."

It was with a heavy heart that I made my way back to the barracks. I had a sinking feeling that it would be a very long time before I would hold my girl in my arms again.

*** end flashback ***

"That was the last time you were together wasn't it?" Teddy asked.

I nodded. "Yes, soon after that, we parachuted into France." I shook my head as I remembered those difficult days. "A group of us, including Johnny, got separated from our unit and landed several miles away from the target. We ran into a detail of German soldiers on the edge of a town." I fished out my pack of cigarettes again. "We managed to take them out, but not before losing two of our guys."

"I remember being holed up in a building with Johnny," I shrugged. "That was yesterday, I think, and then I woke up in that field where you found me."

"Are you sure about that Edward?"

I nodded, but I wasn't sure.

Teddy watched me patiently. "I need you to concentrate on what happened before you woke up in that field Edward."

I frowned as I tried my best to recall. Suddenly my mind was deluged with the images and sounds of gunfire, smoke, and the screams of men, both German and American. I bit my lip as the memories continued fast and furious.

*****flashback*****

"Do you think we're ever gonna meet up with Roger again?" Johnny asked as we crouched in an interior hallway of the building in which we'd taken refuge.

"We're bound to if we keep moving north and east." I tried to sound reassuring, but I had no idea if the other guys had made it, or even if the troops had landed on the beaches as planned. Our best hope was to keep moving, but that was easier said than done.

"I think it best if we stay put for a little while, and then we'll try and make a break for it."

Johnny nodded in agreement. We crouched together in that hallway for what seemed like an eternity. Not speaking, barely breathing.

"Eddie, can I ask you a favor?" Johnny eventually spoke, breaking our self-imposed silence.

"Yeah Johnny, what is it?"

"If I… if for some reason I don't make it, can you tell my folks that I was thinking about them at the end."

I knew he was still shaken by what we'd lived through today. It had only been a few hours since we'd seen Mike and Sam killed and in turn, Johnny and I had had to shoot their murderers in self-defense. It wasn't like in the movies. It was done up close. Face to face.

"Sure Johnny, I can do that."

He nodded. "Thanks."

We shared the last cigarette from Johnny's pack as we reminisced about our days in St. Louis.

"My Mom and Pops still go on about the swell parties your parents used to throw. Do you remember those Eddie?"

I smiled to myself as I thought back to the days before the crash when father was in his element. Nothing made him happier than to flaunt his wealth in the face of St. Louis high society.

"Do you ever miss it Eddie?" he asked in a whisper.

I took a deep breath. "No, I honestly can say that I don't. I've come to associate that life and everything attached to it as part of the reason we were laid so low after the crash. My father's greed knew no bounds Johnny." I rubbed my forehead with my fingertips as I explained. "He had invested so heavily in an effort to increase his wealth that we literally lost everything. So, no…"

We were silent for a while before Johnny spoke again.

"You're nothing like him you know."

I turned and stared at him.

"I see it in your eyes Eddie every time he's mentioned. You worry that you're like him, but you're not. Whether you would have been like him if things hadn't turned out the way they did? Who's to say?" He patted my shoulder as I dropped my head and stared at the floor. "There was one good thing that happened as a result of your Papa's greed though, and if he was here right now, I'd thank him for that."

I lifted my head and gave him a questioning look.

"The man you are today, the man I would trust with my life, might not exist if it hadn't been for your father's mistakes."

I swallowed hard, holding back the emotions which were clawing their way to the surface.

"I would never have met Bella…" I admitted in a whisper.

"There you have it," Johnny said with a smile, "yet another thing to be grateful for. She's a wonderful woman Eddie."

"She's my whole life Johnny."

He nodded.

After another moment of silence, I spoke again. "We're expecting a baby. She told me the last night we were together."

Johnny's smile lit up his face. "That's great news Eddie." He shifted his rifle in order to shake my hand. "See, even here in the middle of hell you have something to look forward to."

****end flashback****

I shot a worried look at Teddy.

"Some Kraut soldiers entered the building, and we were trapped. I hoped that we could shoot our way out, but we were outnumbered. I remember thinking that we weren't both going to make it out alive." With a shaking hand, I brought the cigarette to my lips and took a drag. "I made the split second decision to do what I could to save Johnny." I remembered pushing Johnny behind me as I ducked into the room where the Germans were and opened fire. I looked mournfully at Teddy. "I remember being shot…"

Teddy nodded slowly.

****flashback****

"Eddie, Eddie," I could see Johnny's frantic face through the haze. "Hold on buddy, until I can get you some help…"

I closed my eyes, and images of Bella's beautiful smiling face filled my mind.

I didn't open them again.

I didn't want to.

****end flashback****

I took a deep breath. "Can you tell me if Johnny made it?"

Teddy nodded. "You saved him."

"But I didn't survive, did I?"

"No, Edward. You died a short time later of your wounds."

I dropped the cigarette to the ground before burying my hands in my hair. "My poor girl," I said in a broken whisper as I felt my knees buckle. "The baby…." I would never get to see our baby.

"She was devastated when word reached her Edward. But Bella is strong; a lot stronger than even she realized. The letter you left helped her a great deal, especially during her darkest days." Teddy assured. "Do you remember what you wrote?"

"Yes. I think part of me knew I wouldn't make it back. I felt compelled to write it."

Teddy placed his arm around my shoulders in a comforting gesture as I watched the scene around us change. I saw my Bella smiling, holding our son, surrounded by members of our family. I watched as she put him into his crib and retreated alone to the bedroom where she wept into her hands before kissing a photo of me and lying across the bed. After a moment, she retrieved the letter I'd written from her side table drawer. I could see the familiar writing, but couldn't help but notice how the page was stained with Bella's tears.

My dearest,

As I write this, I am watching you sleep. Have I ever mentioned how beautiful you are when you sleep? You're always beautiful, but when you sleep, you look like an angel.

My love, if you are reading this, it means that I wasn't able to return to you.

I am sorrier than you'll ever know for failing you in that, but I hope that my death was not in vain. At the very least, I hope I died a man that you and our child may be proud of.

I never had that with my own father Bella, but desire it more than anything for our child.

Even though I won't be there when you hold him or her in your arms for the first time, know that my heart is with you. It has always been yours.

Please tell our child how we met and how I loved you from that very first day. Since then, not a single day passes that you are not in my thoughts. Tell him or her about the happy years we spent together before the war.

Most importantly, be sure to tell our child about the happiest day of all; the day you became my wife.

Bella, I want you to know that these last few months with you have been the best part of my life, and if that is all the time that we are to be given, it will be enough to sustain me until we are together again. For I have to believe that will happen my love.

I've never been an overtly religious man, you know that, but I hope that God would grant me some small favor in return for any good I may have done during my life. I hope that He will allow us to be together again someday, somehow.

Until that day, I will be waiting for you, my darling.

All my love today and always,  
Edward

Comforted by the written words, I watched as Bella closed her eyes in sleep.

The scene changed again until we were standing in a cemetery filled with white stone crosses. I noticed several people gathered around one stone in particular. As Teddy and I approached them, I recognized Claire. She was quite a bit older, but it was unmistakably her. She held the hand of a man, her husband I presumed. As soon as he removed his hat, I realized he was my old friend Johnny.

Claire bent down, speaking in a whisper to the stone, "Edward, the years haven't made me miss you any less. I have never thanked you for saving Johnny that day. After the war, he visited us and told the story of how you saved his life. You will always be my hero, big brother." She said as a tear trailed down her cheek. "But then you always were. We named our first son Edward after you, and he is a fine man, just as your Edward is."

The next person I saw approach was my mother. Her hair was white, and she walked slowly, with the aid of a cane, but I could still see the light in her eyes when she smiled. "Oh my boy, I've lived too long without you. Children should never be allowed to leave this world before their parents," she sighed and kissed her fingertips before touching them to the stone.

There followed behind Mama a man who looked to be in his forties with an older woman leaning on his arm. I gasped when I realized how much the man looked like my father, when I glanced at the woman, I smiled in understanding. Despite the grey hair and lines of care and worry on her beautiful face, she still took my breath away.

My Bella

The man beside her was undoubtedly our son. Our Edward.

"Here, let me help you Mother," he said as he helped Bella kneel down on the grass.

"Thank you dear," she smiled up at our son, before turning to the gravestone. "Edward, I miss you so. Even after all this time, my heart aches for you. I dreamt about you the other night and didn't want to wake." She took a breath, and I noticed how pale she looked. Her voice dropped to barely a whisper. "I don't think you'll have to wait much longer for me my darling. It seems I'm not meant to have the lifespan of your mother. I will be sad to leave our son and grandchildren, but I long to be with you again." Her eyes glistened with tears as she spoke.

I watched as our son helped her to her feet. Before he led her away, he turned back to the stone and placed his hand upon it. "Thank you for being a man who I am proud to call my father." He said in a whisper.

I wiped the tears from my own cheeks as I watched them walk away. "I don't understand," I said, as the scene before us changed again, a mist gathered where we stood. "Are you showing me the future, because surely this many years couldn't have passed already?"

Teddy patted my back. "Time is relative here Edward. The truth is that during the time we've been talking, over forty years have passed on earth."

I eyed him skeptically. "Impossible."

"Here, anything is possible."

"Are you an angel?"

Teddy laughed then. "No, not by a long shot. But I was chosen specifically for this task."

I frowned. "Did I know you when I was alive?"

"No, but I believe you knew of me." He smiled. "My name is Edward Masen. I'm your grandfather."

And then I remembered the old family photos Mama kept in the front parlor. There was one photo among them of an elderly couple, my grandparents; they had died shortly before I was born.

"Your grandmother and I are very proud of you my boy."

"Grandmother? Will I get to meet her?" I asked anxiously.

"Soon." He said before placing a hand on my shoulder. "Unfortunately, I must leave you now Edward, for a little while."

"Leave me? But what will I do? I don't know where I'm supposed to go?" I asked in a panic.

"You'll figure it out." He then turned and disappeared into the mist.

Teddy had no sooner vanished when I felt a hand touch my back. I turned, and found myself staring down into the lovely face of my Bella. All the years since I'd left her had been washed away and she looked as she did that last morning at the cottage, minus the tears.

My throat tightened as I pulled her into my arms without a word, and peppered her face with kisses. "Are you really here my love?"

She laughed breathlessly, "I don't know. I hope this isn't another dream." She pulled back a little to look into my eyes. "Are we in heaven?"

"Oh my darling, if this isn't heaven, then I have no desire to go there. Everything I'll ever want or need is here in my arms."

"Edward," she said as she placed her hand on my cheek, her eyes brimming with tears. "Hold me, and never let me go."

I wrapped my arms around her, and captured her warm lips with mine.

And so began our forever….

Keep smiling through,  
Just like you always do  
Till the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away….

 

*******The End*******

**  
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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed it. 
> 
> Song credits: 'You'll Never Know' by Dick Haymes / "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" by Glenn Miller / "We'll Meet Again" by Vera Lynn
> 
> Thanks again to PixieKat7 for her wonderful beta work on this and all the chapters! Her words of encouragement mean the world to me!
> 
> One outtake still to come. Sadly it will contain no Bella or Edward, but will consist of the confrontation between Mrs. Masen and Laura on the way home from New York.
> 
> This story is dedicated to my Dad, a veteran of WWII, Korea and Vietnam, a quiet gentle soul, and the finest man I've ever had the privilege to know. I miss him every day.


	6. Chapter 6

OUTTAKE – on the way back from New York

Margaret Masen eyed the young woman sitting across from her on the train with a contemplative eye. To everyone who had known Margaret since childhood, she had become quite an enigma.

The sweet carefree girl who had grown into a beautiful young woman, and was subsequently swept off of her feet by the dashing Edward Masen, was not recognizable any more. The trusting girl who had listened as Edward had professed his undying love, and had agreed to marry a man ten years her senior was a far cry from the woman she was now.

Maybe it had been the years of married life which had changed her. The years spent with Ed Masen, birthing his children, managing his household, and standing by as the loving and adoring man she'd married had hardened into someone whose main purpose in life seemed merely to increase his wealth and social standing.

Never content, always reaching; always grasping for more…

How many times had she cried herself to sleep after the man she loved, the man she would continue to love until the day she died, had chastised her for her many failings? She failed in managing his home properly; she failed in molding his children into what he desired them to be; and even though she was married to one of the most important men in the city, she failed to project the proper image to the rest of St. Louis society.

How many times had she forgiven him for his harsh words after he would steal into her room during the night, wrap his warm, muscular body around hers, and make her forget the hurt he'd inflicted during the harsh light of day?

There, in the dark stillness of her lonely bedchamber, Ed would beg his wife's forgiveness. In the grey light before dawn, he would make love to her and profess that she would always be the only woman he would ever love.

He would not, however, promise that it wouldn't happen again.

And again...

When the stock market crashed, and the Masen's were reduced to a state neither had been forced to endure before, Margaret came to a realization about herself. Unlike her husband, Margaret's strength was not drawn from the accumulation of wealth and power. The source of her strength came from the love of her family, specifically the love she bore her children.

Her son and daughter were everything to Margaret. Their welfare had been the sole reason she had been able to endure the hardships of working long hours for little pay. As Ed Masen succumbed to despair, his wife reacted by working harder. As his physical and mental health deteriorated, Margaret found herself growing stronger. And when he died, Margaret and her children moved away, and began to live.

Margaret considered the move to Peoria as the single best gift she'd ever given her children. There, surrounded by the love of family, Edward and Claire had thrived.

She had been delighted when Edward had fallen for Isabella Swan, and nearly as heartbroken as her son when Bella's family had to move away. Bella was everything Margaret had hoped for in a match for Edward and more. One had only to look at Bella's adoring smile whenever she was in Edward's presence to realize that the girl thought he had hung the moon. Margaret knew that Edward was determined, and had fully expected that as soon as Bella graduated, she and Renee Swan would be planning a wedding.

And then it had all fallen apart…

As Margaret studied the face of Laura Malloy, she kept replaying the scene from earlier today in her head.

The manner in which Laura had approached her son, as if she was the object of his affections rather than Bella Swan…

She'd watched as poor Edward had recoiled from her advances, and even when he stated bluntly that she meant nothing to him, Laura hadn't backed down.

"You need to wake up Edward. I went to a lot of trouble to make sure we could be together, but I won't wait forever. What is wrong with you? You should hate her for what she did!"

"I went to a lot of trouble to make sure we could be together…"

A feeling of unease had settled upon Margaret as soon as Laura had uttered those words, and now in the silence of the train car, the implication of exactly what they meant, haunted her. All this time, when she'd tried to find a reason for Bella's sudden rejection of her son, she'd never dreamt that Bella may have been the victim of a scheming, manipulative girl; a girl who, at that moment, was staring out of the window of the train compartment, oblivious to the woman silently observing her every move.

If, as she suspected, this silly, stupid girl had been responsible for destroying the happiness of her son, Margaret feared what she might do to her.

But no, Margaret would never resort to violence.

Maybe.

At least not while her daughter was seated beside her… 

At the moment, her only desire was to learn the truth. Time was of the essence, so Margaret quickly formulated a plan.

She pulled a hankie from her purse and proceeded to dab at her dry eyes with it. She motioned for her daughter to play along, after which Claire wiped the look of surprise from her face.

Margaret began to sniffle. "Oh Claire, I don't know what to do. Poor Edward has deluded himself into thinking he can't find happiness with anyone other than Bella Swan." She surreptitiously glanced at Laura to make sure she'd gotten her attention.

She had.

"You know, I never thought she was right for him, but he has always been blind to her faults… and so stubborn. Surely by now she has a new beau and yet Edward still holds onto this false hope." She shook her head and wiped her eyes again, pretending to cry.

Claire nodded in feigned agreement.

"Pardon me for intruding Mrs. Masen, but I have to say that I couldn't agree more. I'd really hoped Edward would have forgotten the Swan girl by now. Especially after what happened the last time he was at home."

Margaret raised an eyebrow. "What happened the last time he was at home, dear?"

Laura smiled, thrilled that Edward's mother was interested in what she had to say. "Well," Laura's voice dropped to a whisper, "Edward and I stayed up all night long, talking. We talked about everything…"

Margaret tried her best to keep a calm expression on her face. She knew her son, and now suspected that this girl was suffering from delusions. There was a distinct possibility that she was in need of professional help.

"I know he has feelings for me, he just can't seem to let go of her. If he only knew the truth, he'd realize that she will never take him back…" Laura trailed off, seeming to talk to herself. "We would be so happy together…"

Margaret felt her daughter tense beside her and shot her a glance before speaking. "Edward's happiness is all I desire, Laura. Maybe I could help in some way…"

Laura's eyes literally danced with delight at Margaret's words, but she was still a little wary. Would Edward's mother be angry when she found out what Laura had done?

She began slowly, quietly. "Mrs. Masen, from the moment I first laid eyes on your son, I knew he was the one for me. Unfortunately, it was some time before I found out about his infatuation with the Swan girl," Laura said with distaste.

Margaret grasped Claire's hand to keep her from lunging across the compartment, before smiling encouragingly at Laura.

"As soon as I read what he'd been writing to her, I realized that it would take some doing, but I was determined to make him see the truth."

"You read his letters?" Margaret asked, confused.

Laura had the good grace to look sheepish. "Well, a girl's gotta do what's necessary to ensure her happiness, so I retrieved a letter or two from the mailbox before the postman took them away."

Margaret nodded slowly, her face showing nothing of the anger brewing inside her body.

"After Edward and I spent that night talking, I got the brilliant idea to write to her myself. I knew the letter needed to be dramatic in order to convince her to break things off so…"

She glanced at Margaret and Claire apprehensively. "Go on dear, you're among friends, tell me what you wrote in the letter. If there's anything I can do to help, I will." Margaret even went as far as to pat the seat beside her, indicating that Laura should sit there.

Laura took the offered seat, and Margaret took Laura's hand in hers. "Well…" Laura batted her eyelashes, trying to look coy. "I told her that, um, Edward and I had gotten a lot closer that night then was actually true." She hesitated again, afraid to continue.

This time, Claire surprised her mother by interrupting. "Laura please, Mother and I want Edward to be with someone who truly loves him…" It was a true statement, but unfortunately for Laura, she had no idea that Claire was speaking of Bella, and not her.

"Well," Laura hesitated before glancing at Margaret and Claire again, and making the decision to confide in them, "I told her that I was carrying Edward's child. And that he needed to do the right thing, meaning he needed to forget about her and marry me. It was a gamble on my part, because if she'd given Edward a chance to defend himself, she'd have discovered the truth. I was willing to take the risk, and besides, as soon as Edward and I are married, it won't matter then. I'll be carrying his child soon enough…" She smiled happily before continuing. "Obviously my plan worked, because she broke things off with him…"

Laura peered up at Margaret then and gasped. Where but a moment before had been a loving smile, Margaret was now looking upon Laura with a murderous sneer on her face. Suddenly, Margaret's hand, the one that had just been holding Laura's, flew up and made contact with the side of Laura's face. The sound of the loud slap reverberated throughout the compartment.

"Move away from me this instant you horrible, evil girl," Margaret began in a low, menacing tone. Laura's hand went to cover her now reddening cheek as she literally dove into the seat she'd vacated a few moments before.

It was still too close to Margaret Masen for her to feel comfortable…

Laura began to blubber like a baby as Margaret unleashed the full fury of a mother whose child had been wronged. "You," Margaret seethed, "there isn't a word in the English language to describe how truly awful you are!"

"How dare you! You may have single-handedly ruined my son's chance for a happy future." Margaret swallowed back the lump that formed in her throat when she thought about Edward's heartbroken expression as he boarded the transport. "Make no mistake, Edward will know soon enough exactly what kind of creature you are." Margaret took a deep breath and collected herself before continuing to speak, "It wouldn't take much for someone to be a better person than you, Laura Malloy, but let me say this so you will understand. Bella Swan is not only beautiful, she is kind and thoughtful and there isn't a dishonest bone in that young woman's body. And my son loves her, beyond all reason he loves her, as does everyone in our family. You," She raised her voiced and waggled a finger in Laura's direction, "with your treachery and deceit could never compare to someone like Bella Swan."

"I have no doubt that if you and Edward were the last two people left on this earth, he would still choose the memory of his Bella over the likes of you."

***A number of years later…..

Margaret sighed loudly as she gazed through the window at the last rays of the setting sun as they fell upon the small flower garden outside. She'd been in bed most of the day, not having the energy to do much other than lie there and think.

"Mother," Claire's soft voice pulled Margaret from her memories. "Care to share what has you smiling like the cat that ate the canary?"

Margaret giggled and reached for her daughter's hand. "You'll never believe what I was just thinking about."

Claire leaned in a little closer, anxious to hear.

"I was remembering that trip back from New York when I slapped Laura Malloy across the face," Claire joined in her mother's giggles then.

"She was quite a piece of work; I wonder what ever happened to her?" Claire offered in response.

"Oh, I'm sure she married some young man and proceeded to make his life miserable." Margaret smiled again, glad that her son had escaped that particular fate.

Margaret lost the smile as she thought about her boy. It had been years, yet his face was still as clear in her mind as the last day she'd seen him as he boarded the transport bound for England.

And Bella… oh how she missed Bella, who was as dear to her as her own daughter.

"Would you like me to read to you?" Claire asked softly.

"No darling. It's late. You should go home to your husband. I'm sure he misses you."

"Well, I'll be back tomorrow; all the children and grandchildren are coming for Sunday dinner as usual." Claire told her with a smile.

Margaret returned the smile, knowing that after dinner the entire family would show up at the nursing home to visit her. It had become a Sunday ritual.

Margaret frowned, aware that this time she'd have to disappoint them.

Claire stood from her chair and leaned over her mother's bed to kiss her forehead. Before she turned to go, Margaret grasped her daughter's hand. "Claire, you will forgive me when the time comes?"

Claire's eyes filled with tears. "Oh Mother," she answered in a broken voice.

"Now, now," Margaret held Claire's hand in both of hers. "Darling, the doctor was very honest with me. My heart is growing a little weaker each day. He says I'll probably go in my sleep." Margaret drew in a deep breath. "That would be a blessing. I've lived a full life and it's time."

"What will I do without you?" Claire asked through her tears.

"You will live my dear. You will take care of your family. You will take care of your husband. And some day when your time comes, I'll see you again." Margaret took a shaky breath as her eyes filled with tears. "I have so much to tell them, your brother and Bella. All about their son and his family and about you and yours…" She turned and looked at her daughter's sad face. "And, I hold out hope that God has forgiven your father and allowed him to atone for his mistakes, and that he will be there waiting for me. I miss him so, Claire."

A tear trailed down Margaret's cheek as she spoke.

Claire was sobbing as she wrapped her arms around her mother and laid her head contentedly upon her shoulder, much the same way she'd done as a child. "I love you."

"I love you too my darling," Margaret whispered.

As she'd suspected, sometime during the night, Margaret slipped away to a place where there was no pain or sorrow.

A place where there were no wars that robbed mothers of their sons.

A place where no hearts were weakened by age or sickness.

A place where those who had been long missed waited with open arms to greet her.

A place where she would find the perfect peace she'd so longed for while on earth…


End file.
